2009 Audi A4 Allroad Quattro

The A4 puts on a tougher face.

Remember the Allroad Quattro? Audi's upscale answer to the Subaru Outback, based on the last-generation A6 Avant, was originally developed with the U.S. market in mind. It came with tough-looking cladding, a cool concept car-like interior treatment, and an air suspension that allowed ground clearance to be adjusted from up to 8.2 inches or lowered to 5.6 inches, putting it so close to the ground that it actually looked sportier than a regular A6 Avant. It was even available outside the U.S. with a low-range transfer case.

Surprisingly popular in Europe, Audi developed a successor, but because the original Allroad sold so poorly here, the company decided to keep the current generation away from the unappreciative U.S. market. Nevertheless, the A6 Allroad Quattro has since been downgraded to a styling package, losing some of its off-road capabilities.

Audi is now debuting the same trick with the A4 Avant at the 2009 Geneva auto show. And as with the A6, technological changes for the A4 Allroad Quattro are very limited. The stability-control system has a specific off-road sensor, dubbed ORD. It recognizes road conditions and can allow more wheel slip as you might encounter during off-road adventures. And with 17- and 18-inch wheels on high-speed street tires, you might actually need that assistance.

The A4 Allroad Quattro is really a styling exercise. There are stainless-steel skid plates front and rear to keep rocks from tearing up the oil pan and vehicle floor, increased ground clearance, and a track widened by almost an inch. Wider fenders and unpainted portions of the front and rear bumpers and sideskirts set it apart from the regular A4 Avant. There are standard roof rails and a unique front grille, which is similar to the A6 Allroad Quattro's. The cabin gets special materials for the seats, but judging from what we have seen so far, the package could definitely use more distinct interior features.

In Europe, where the A4 Allroad will be offered early this summer, the entry-level engine will be the 170-hp, 2.0-liter TDI diesel mated to a six-speed manual. Two more upscale choices, a 211-hp, 2.0-liter TFSI gasoline four-cylinder, and 240-hp, 3.0-liter V-6 TDI diesel, both coupled with Audi's seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, will be available. The Quattro all-wheel-drive system is rear-biased with a 40/60 front/rear-distribution. Depending on road conditions, it can vary the split between 65/35 and 15/85.

The Allroad will cost a few thousand euros more than the standard model on which it is based, but comes in under the A4’s sporty S-line package. No word yet on a U.S. launch, but sources high within the company tell us that the policy of keeping the Allroad versions out of the U.S. market is constantly reviewed. But, with the launch of the new carlike Q5 crossover, we don’t expect to see the Allroad here anytime soon.